CHICAGO’S 30th pick during in 2011 Draft spent the first year and a half coming off the bench. An injury to the then very productive Loul Deng made him a starter, and from there began the Jimmy Butler show where he averaged at least 15 points and above 35 minutes per game.
As a Bull, he set a franchise record of playing 60 minutes in a triple OT win over Orlando in June 2014. He also broke Michael Jordan’s team record of most points in a half. While in Chicago, he was named to the All-Defensive Second Team three times (2014 to 2016), the league’s Most Improved Player in 2015 and was named an All-Star twice. Traded to Minnesota in June 2017, he continued to be productive, earning two more All-Star nods and again earned a spot at the All-Defensive Second Team.
But things had gone sour in Minny that he refused a four-year, $110-million deal. Although Coach Tom Thibodeau and GM Scott Layden don’t want to let go of him, Butler demanded for a trade and Wolves owner Glen Taylor is making him available and said that team owners and managers should contact him personally.
Reportedly, Toronto, Miami and Cleveland are the frontrunners, but would it be worth for them to take the risk considering that Butler becomes a free agent by 2019 and he could walk away at the end of the season? Unless the team that he eventually will land into gets to the Finals, then maybe he will decide and agree to a long-term max deal.
In Toronto, he could form a deadly trio with Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry. The Raptors, if ever, will then have a pair of very productive and defensive All-Star wings. Question is: who will the Raps let go in exchange for Butler? Minnesota needs defense and won’t be settling for less than Serge Ibaka and maybe OG Anunoby or perhaps CJ Miles and Danny Green. Toronto also has no guarantee that both Leonard and Butler won’t be walking away from them when free agency comes.
Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert was seen talking privately with Minnesota counterpart Taylor. LeBron James again took his talents somewhere and the team needs a new go-to-guy. The Cavs had made Kevin Love their new face of the franchise and dealing him away is highly unlikely. Rookie point guard Collin Sexton is an attractive option but in him they just found a replacement to Kyrie Irving. The team has plenty of young talents but it would be unwise of them to let go of. They could offload on their old-timers like Kyle Korver, JR Smith and Channing Frye with a combined average age of 35, plus Tristan Thompson.
Reportedly, Pat Riley is “aggressive as any team in pursuit of a Jimmy Butler trade.” Miami needs another scorer, and if they do have Butler, he would lessen the offensive load on their top-scoring option Goran Dragic. The Heat lack depth at the 4 and 5 spot, so probably they would offer maybe a combination involving Justice Winslow, Rodney McGrudder, James Johnson and some Draft picks. If Butler ends up in Miami, it would be interesting to see how Dwyane Wade would welcome him, considering their issue that involved D-Wade’s wife.
Minnesota want things to be settled by the time they start training camp, and whoever presents the juiciest offer can then have Jimmy Buckets and his season per game averages of 22 points, five assists and five rebounds./PN
